The family code in Egypt is one of the worst family codes in the Arab world. Polygamy. The husband is having absolute power over the family.
From Nawal El Saadawi
When you are intelligent and beautiful you face a lot of problems. If you are beautiful and stupid then it's easy.
Whenever I go to New York or any European country, they say: 'Nawal, why don't you get a facelift?' I tell them, 'I am proud of my wrinkles. Every wrinkle on my face tells the story of my life. Why should I hide my age?'
I don't think that people in power can be convinced by words or articles. They will never give it up by choice.
I am very much against makeup and high heels and all that we inherit as 'beauty.'
Home is where you are appreciated, safe and protected, creative, and where you are loved - not where you are put in prison.
Education should be totally secular. I am not telling people not to believe in God, but it should be a personal matter which should be done at home.
What makes revolutionary thought unique is its clarity and dignity, and its clear grasp of freedom and justice: simple, clear words that are understood without the need for any help from elite writers or thinkers.
I've participated in many demonstrations since I was a child. When I was at medical college, I was fighting King Farouk, then British colonization, against Nasser, against Sadat who pushed me into prison, Mubarak who pushed me into exile. I never stopped.
A lot of women are afraid of loneliness, so when they see a woman who can live alone, then they think, 'Hmm, I can do that.' But you need an example, and that is why I am proud to say I have divorced three husbands.
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